Neighbor2Neighbor group in Kansas City thanks Thanksgiving breakfast

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Some say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but for one group in Kansas City, Mo., that saying means so much more, especially on Thanksgiving Day.

On Thursday, Neighbor2Neighbor hosted its annual Thanksgiving Breakfast.

The group says it’s not just a gathering place for homeless people.

“It’s a family environment,” says Robert Washington, a recovering drug addict. “I feel appreciated, I love this place.”

KSHB 41’s La’Nita Brooks first met Robert Washington a few weeks ago, when he shared his path to recovery with the help of their program.

Lauren Leslie

“I’m off drugs no more, I’m functional,” Washington said. “I just feel better.”

This Thanksgiving, he celebrates five months of sobriety, a feeling he says is unlike any other.

“It’s a feeling I haven’t felt in a long time,” Washington said. “And it’s a nice, happy feeling, and I can’t wait for my kids to see me and see how I’ve made a change.”

We also met Knikkia Jefferson last month, who overdosed on PCP four times. She turned to Neighbor2Neighbor to help get her back on track.

Lauren Leslie

“One day at a time, you have to crawl before you can walk,” Jefferson said. “So that’s what I do.”

Gregory Parr is the Executive Director of Neighbor2Neighbor.

Lauren Leslie

In the early ’90s, he struggled with drug addiction and homelessness.

But for 30 years, his mission has been to help others. He says the choice to make a Thanksgiving breakfast was intentional.

“A lot of agencies offer lunch or dinner, so we want to have breakfast,” Parr said.

On a day when people in their shoes can be alone and outside in the cold, they say they are grateful not only for this Thanksgiving meal, but for each other.

“They’re everything to me,” Washington said. “They helped me get back on track. So Neighbor2Neighbor is more than just a family, it’s like my life now.”

To volunteer or donate to Neighbor2Neighbor, you can go to their website at n2n4kc.com.

—

KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories with solutions and discussion on topics of crime and violence. Share your story idea with La’Nita.